The Madras High Court has called for details of the number of resorts that were closed down along the elephant corridor in Sigur reserve forest area in the Nilgiris district following a Supreme Court order and the number of tribals who were residing in Siruyur as well as Anaikatti hamlets in the region.
Justices S. Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad directed Additional Government Pleader (Forests) Vijay Prashanth to submit the details by June 17. The interim order was passed during the hearing of a public interest litigation petition filed against entry of private vehicles into the reserve forest.
According to the petitioner, J. Ravikumar, 71, a wildlife enthusiast, the Sigur plateau in the Nilgiris links the Western and Eastern Ghats and serves as a migratory route for animals and birds.
The plateau forms part of the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve which comprises of various reserve forests.
The Sigur reserve forest was home to several wild animals, birds, insects and reptiles.
Entry into the reserve forest was restricted and the forest department had established a check post at Vazhaithottam from where people had to get permission to travel about nine km to reach Anaikatti and Siruyur hamlets.
“The entire region is an ecologically sensitive zone but due to increase in footfalls, the area is being littered with garbage and plastic waste which is detrimental to wildlife,” the petitioner lamented.
He urged the court to issue a direction that no vehicle other than those belonging to the government and the residents of the hamlets should be allowed to ply on the Vazhaithottam-Anaikatti-Sigur Road.
